The Shadow Home Secretary paid a visit to Wandsworth to speak to the acting borough commander about what happened during the Battersea riots.

Labour MP Yvette Cooper went to Lavender Hill police station to view some of the shocking CCTV footage that has been complied by the police.

Afterwards, she took a walk with Detective Superintendent Gerry Campbell down Lavender Hill to the burnt out Party Superstore, where she discussed with Wandsworth's top cop the implications of August 8 and its aftermath.

The Labour Party suggested Ms Cooper would take time to speak to residents in the area, but Wandsworth Guardian reporters at the scene said she spoke only with police before leaving.

When asked her views on the positive community response to rioting in the area, Ms Cooper admitted being impressed with Battersea's post-riot spirit.

She said: "It's been fantastic that the community has all come together and shown that people across the area are not prepared to stand for violence, looting and disorder."

While near Clapham Junction, she also claimed the Government had abandoned the Metropolitan Police (Met) following the riots.

She said: "It is shocking that at a time like this the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary are leaving the Metropolitan Police and forces across the country in limbo, seriously concerned that the cuts they are already struggling with have been made even worse.

"This summer we needed the police on our streets and they did an incredible job. But now when the Metropolitan Police has a minimum £34m bill in extra policing costs, at a time when they are already set to lose nearly 2,000 officers, the Government has abandoned them.

"We contacted the Home Secretary two weeks ago to ask if the Prime Minister’s pledge to ‘stand behind’ the extra costs for police forces was going to be met, but the only response has been stony silence.

"The Prime Minister needs to keep his promise and overrule the Home Secretary. The police need to know they have the resources and backing to keep the streets safe both now and in future months. David Cameron must urgently clarify where forces stand, and reopen the police spending review which is currently resulting in the loss of over 16,000 officers nationwide."

Det Supt Campbell has not commented on Ms Cooper's claims.